Actor Alec Baldwin was involved in a confrontation at a pro-Palestine demonstration in Manhattan on Monday evening. He told a protester to “shut up” and aggressively got in his face before the actor was taken away by police.
Baldwin, 56, was spotted among a crowd near West 29th Street. In a video posted on social media, a protester shoved a phone in the actor's face and demanded to know if he supported Israel.
“Because I’m in Hollywood?” Baldwin replied. “You’re asking stupid questions. Ask me a smart question.'
Baldwin and the protester continued to shout at each other before police took the actor away.
A crowd followed Baldwin and some mocked him for his connection to the fatal shooting on the set of the 2021 film Rust.
56-year-old actor Alec Baldwin was spotted among a crowd near West 29th Street. In a video posted on social media, a protester shoved a phone in the actor's face and asked if he supported Israel
“Because I’m in Hollywood?” Baldwin replied. “You’re asking stupid questions. Ask me a smart question.'
It is unclear why the actor was near the march, which was organized by Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian-led community organization that has been active in New York City since 2015.
The group protested at several New York City landmarks, including Penn Station and Grand Central Station.
As Baldwin was being led away by police, a voice in the crowd began shouting, “Who the fuck do you think you are?” and “F*** yourself.”
“Shut up,” Baldwin barked as he was led away by police.
'Stop crying! Stop crying!' he shouted as protesters continued to accost him, before randomly pointing his finger at the crowd and saying: “But I want peace for Gaza.”
The march was organized by Within Our Lifetime, a Palestinian-led community organization
Pro-Palestine advocates crowded into the main hall of Grand Central before marching through Manhattan and targeting other major transportation hubs
A promotional flyer for the event said, “No school, no work, no shopping” and urged protesters to “bring banners, megaphones and Bluetooth speakers.”
Protesters crowded into the main hall of Grand Central on Monday afternoon, waving Palestinian flags and cheering to draw attention to their cause.
The demonstration was part of the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign aimed at “putting pressure on Israel to comply with international law and persuading private companies to end their involvement in Israel’s crimes.”
The campaign accuses a handful of companies of “profiting from Israel’s crimes,” some of which provide financial support to Israeli banks or the military.
NYPD officers milled about in the crowd and blocked pathways in the terminal, including a passageway leading to Vanderbilt Hall.
The crowd moved to 42nd Street, with some protesters carrying signs that read “Support the Palestinian resistance” and “From Gaza to Jenin, Revolution to Victory.”
As they walked past Zara on 5th Avenue, a chant rang out: “Zara, Zara, you can't hide! You support genocide!”
The fast fashion brand came under fire last year after the head of the retailer's local franchise in Israel hosted a campaign rally for an ultra-nationalist politician.
The company faced renewed backlash last week over a campaign that featured mannequins with missing limbs and statues wrapped in white bags. The ads were considered insensitive and insensitive given the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Although the photos were taken in September, a month before the start of the war, they were heavily criticized by internet users for their perceived tone-deafness.
The demonstrators reached Times Square and raised their flags. As we reached the New York Times building, a new chant rang out: “Every time the media lies, a neighborhood in Gaza dies!”
Demonstrators displayed signs reading “Support the Palestinian resistance” and “From Gaza to Jenin, Revolution to Victory.”
Crowds marched to Times Square with drums and chants
Along the way, demonstrators protested with slogans against brands such as Zara and Starbucks
The march then moved to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, where police had set up barricades on the sidewalk.
Some protesters banged on the windows of a nearby Starbucks, trying to get the attention of those inside while police stood nearby.
Although the company is not on the official BDS boycott list, it found itself in the crosshairs after its union sent out a social media post in support of Palestine just weeks after the October 7 Hamas attack.
The company sued Starbucks Workers United for trademark infringement. The union filed a countersuit, asking a federal court in Pennsylvania to rule that it could continue to use its name and a similar logo.
The company also distanced itself from the union's pro-Palestinian stance with a statement saying: “We unequivocally condemn these acts of terror, hate and violence and disagree with the statements and views of Workers United and its members.”
The crowd eventually reached Penn Station, where police barricaded both the elevators and street access.
Protesters streamed through the Moynihan Train Hall chanting, “Israeli bombs!” USA pays! How many children did you kill today?'
They gathered at the train station for a moment of prayer, laying down flags and bowing their heads as NYPD officers surrounded them.
The crowd passed through Madison Square Park, closely followed by officers on bicycles, and quickly turned onto 7th Avenue.
There the police began to infiltrate the crowd. In a social media video, an officer was seen walking toward a teenager wearing a keffiyeh scarf and screaming in his ear as police began grabbing and shoving other protesters.
A youth in a brown sweatshirt was pinned to a nearby window and handcuffed. He was taken to a black truck parked nearby, where officers on bicycles formed a circle, blocking other protesters from reaching him.